Rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment and abrasive pickup



R. E. TIPPS May 20, 1969 ROTARY ABRASIVE WHEEL WE'ITING ATTACHMENT AND ABRASIVE PICKUP Filed Jan. 24, 1966 Robert E. Tlpps INVENTOR. @1 22.

BY @Im I WWW Fm United States Patent G 3,444,654 ROTARY ABRASIVE WHEEL WETTING ATTACH- MENT AND ABRASIVE PICKUP Robert E. Tipps, 1504 Austin St., Levelland, Tex. 79336 Filed Jan. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 522,731 Int. Cl. B24b 55/02 US. Cl. 51-267 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A generally U-shaped frame for support from a suitable supporting structure with the frame embracing a rotary abrasive wheel and disposed in a plane generally coinciding with the medial plane of the wheel. The frame includes opposite leg portions interconnected at one set of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion and supported from the support structure at the other set of corresponding ends thereof. In addition, the bight portion of the frame includes a wetting and abrasive pickup element including surface portions facing and disposed for engagement with the periphery of the abrasive wheel and one leg portion of the frame is adjustable in effective length whereby the bight portion and wetting and abrasive pickup element supported there from may be shifted toward and away from engagement with the periphery of the abrasive wheel.

This invention relates to a novel and useful abrasive wheel wetting attachment specifically adapted to wet a rotary abrasive wheel at a controlled rate and which is constructed in a manner so as to also be adapted to pick up abrasive material which is moved from the abrasive wheel during a grinding operation.

The attachment of the instant invention is primarily designed for use by a lapidarist but may also be utilized by other skilled persons utilizing grinding wheels for different purposes. The attachment is of great assistance in preventing silicone dust from being formed adjacent a silicone surfaced abrasive wheel, preventing fluids by which the abrasive wheel is wetted from being thrown from the wheel during rotation of the latter at high speeds, and preventing the burning of stones while a lapidarist works on several pieces before having to replenish the water supply of the attachment or clean the abrasive pickup portion thereof.

The main object of this invention is to provide a rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment which will be capable of applying wetting liquids to the associated rotary abrasive wheel in a manner preventing an excessive amount of liquid being applied to the wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wetting attachment in accordance with the preceding ob ject and which will be capable of applying wetted fluids to the associated rotary abrasive wheel for extended periods before the supply of wetting fiuid carried by the attachment has to be replenished.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an attachment in accordance with the preceding objects and including means by which abrasive material from the associated rotary abrasive wheel may be picked up in a manner eliminating the formation of airborne abrasive dust adjacent the rotary wheel.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment and abrasive pickup which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively troublefree in operation.

3,444,654 Patented May 20, 1969 These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a rotary abrasive wheel assembly including a pair of motor driven rotary abrasive wheels and illustrated with the rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment and abrasive pickup of the instant invention operative associated therewith; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a rotary abrasive wheel assembly. The assembly 10 includes a pair of journal support brackets 12 and 14 from and between which a generally horizontally disposed shaft 16 is journaled. The center portion of the shaft 16 has a pulley wheel 18 mounted thereon for rotation therewith and the opposite end portions of the shaft 16 have a pair of rotary abrasive wheels 20 mounted thereon for rotation with the shaft 16.

The journal supports 12 are suitably anchored at their lower ends by means of suitable fasteners 22 to a support surface in the form of a work bench or table 24.

An electric motor 26 is also supported from and secured to the work table 24 in any convenient manner and is drivingly connected to the shaft 16 by means of an endless flexible belt 28 entrained about the pulley 18 and a driving pulley 30 aligned therewith and mounted on the power output shaft 32 of the electric motor 26.

Although the rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment of the instant invention substantially eliminates any need for a drip pan, a drip pan 36 is provided and disposed on the work table or bench 24 beneath the wheels 20. Each of the wheels 20 includes a substantially rigid and cylindrical outer rim portion 38 on which there is disposed a resilient backing member 40. Further, each of the wheels 20 has an abrasive cylinder 42 removably mounted thereon over the backing member 40 and each of the cylinders 42 includes an abrasive outer peripheral surface which is adapted to be utilized for various grinding purposes such as grinding gems.

The rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment of the instant invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 44. The attachment 44 is illustrated and described herein as an attachment adapted for use in connection with the dual abrasive wheel assembly 10 but it is to be noted that the attachment 44 may also be constructed as an attachment for a single rotary Wheel assembly.

The attachment 44 includes a pair of support frames 46 which are generally inverted J-shaped in configuration including a long depending leg portion 48 and a short depending leg portion 50. The upper ends of the long and short leg portions 48 and 50 are interconnected by means of a bridging portion 52 and the lower end portions of each of the long leg portions 48 includes an apertured angulated terminal end portion 54 which is secured to the work table 24 in any convenient manner such as by fasteners 56.

The frames 46 are each constructed of stifi but somewhat resilient material and the lower free end portions of the short leg portions 50 are each also secured to the work table 24 by means of an adjustable length elongated tension member assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 58 connected between the corresponding short leg portion 50 and the work table 24.

The lower terminal end portions of the short leg portions 50 are each formed by a portion 60 of the corresponding short leg portion 50 being rolled back upon itself to form a sleeve 62 through which an upper laterally directed rod-like end portion 63 of the associated tension member assembly 58 projects. Each of the tension member assemblies 58 comprises a turnbuckle assembly including upper and lower oppositely threaded screw members 64 and 66, respectively, interconnected at one pair of adjacent aligned ends by means of a turnbuckle handle actuator 68. Each laterally directed rod-like end portion 63 comprises an upper end portion of the corresponding screw member 64 and the remote end of each threaded lower screw member 66 includes a laterally directed end portion 70 having an eye portion 72 which is secured to the work table 24 by one of the fasteners 22.

The upper end portion of each of the long leg portion 48 terminates in a first downwardly directed flange portion 74 which in turn terminates at its free edge in a laterally directed second flange portion 76 projecting toward the corresponding short leg portion 50. In addition, the upper end of each short leg portion 50 terminates in a first downwardly directed flange portion 78 which in turn terminates at its free end in a second laterally directed and horizontally disposed flange portion 80 projecting toward the corresponding long leg portion 48.

The second horizontal flanges 76 and 80 of each frame 46 comprise partial lower walls extending beneath the corresponding bridge member 52 and a water absorbent member such as a sponge 82 is supported from each frame 46 in the open ended and downwardly opening channel defined by each pair of flanges 74, 76, 78 and 80.

Each of the sponges 82 has a considerable majority of its portion extending between the corresponding flanges 74 and 78 exposed from beneath for contact with the upper periphery of the corresponding abrasive cylinder 42. In addition, each of the bridge members 52 has a plurality of apertures 84 formed therein through which a wetting fluid such as water or any other suitable fluid may be passed for absorption by the corresponding sponge 52. Of course, when the sponges 52 are wetted and the tension member assemblies 58 have their effective lengths adjusted so as to move the undersurfaces of the sponges 82 down into contact with the upper peripheral portions of the abrasive cylinders 42, the cylinders 42 will be wetted by the damp sponges and the loosened abrasive material carried by the outer peripheral surfaces of the abrasive cylinders 42 will be picked up by the sponges 82.

Of course, it may be seen from FIGURE 1 of the drawings that the horizontally disposed and laterally directed rod-like end portions 63 are interconnected by means of an integral portion 86 extending between the short leg portions 50 of the frames 46.

In operation, the sponges 82 may be sufficiently wetted by the application of wetting liquids thereto through the apertures 84 and subsequent rotation of the wheels 20 will cause the abrasive cylinders 42 to be wetted by the wetting fluid carried in the sponges 82 after the tension member assemblies 58 have been properly adjusted to bring the lower surface portions of the sponges 82 down into contact with the abrasive cylinders 42.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and 65 equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment and abrasive pickup, said attachment including a support frame including a base portion adapted to be supported adjacent a rotary abrasive wheel and an element support portion movable relative to at least a portion of said base portion, a wetting and abrasive pickup element and removably supported from said element support portion, said element comprising a body of resilient water absorbent material, said frame including an inverted generally U- shaped frame including a pair of depending leg portions interconnected at their upper ends by means of a bight portion, the lower ends of said leg portions being adapted for connection to a support with said frame embracing said wheel and disposed in a plane generally coinciding with the medial plane of said wheel, said bight portion comprising said support portion and said element therefrom with surface portions of said element facing the free ends of said leg portions disposed for engagement with the periphery of said wheel, said bight portion defining a downwardly opening generally C-shaped channel extending transversely of said plane, said element being removably and slidably positionable in said channel longitudinally thereof.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said element is spongeous in nature.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein one of said 0 leg portions of said frame is adjustable in effective length.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said one leg portion defines turnbuckle means and is thereby infinitely variably adjustable in length.

5. A rotary abrasive wheel wetting attachment and abrasive pickup, said attachment including a support frame including a base portion adapted to be supported adjacent a rotary abrasive wheel and an element support portion movable relative to at least a portion of said base portion, a wetting and abrasive pickup element and removably supported from said element support portion, said element comprising a body of resilient Water absorbent material, said frame including an inverted gener ally U-shaped frame including a pair of depending leg portions interconnected at their upper ends by means of a bight portion, the lower ends of said leg portions being adapted for connection to a support with said frame embracing said wheel and disposed in a plane generally coinciding with the medial plane of said wheel, said bight portion comprising said support portion and supporting said element therefrom with surface portions of said element facing the free ends of said leg portions and disposed for engagement with the periphery of said wheel, one of said leg portions of said frame being adjustable in effective length.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the other of said leg portions is constructed of resilient material.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said one leg portion defines turnbuckle means and is thereby infinitely variably adjustable in length.

8. In combination, a support, a rotary abrasive wheel journaled for rotation about an axis spaced transversely from said support, a generally U-shaped frame including a pair of leg portions interconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion, the other pair of corresponding ends of said leg portions being supported from said support with said frame embracing said wheel and disposed in a plane generally coinciding with the medial plane of said wheel, a wetting and abrasive pickup element stationarily supported from said bight portion and including surface portions facing and disposed for engagement with the periphery of said wheel, one of said leg portions of said frame being adjustable in effective length whereby the bight portion of the frame and the wetting and abrasive pickup element supported therefrom may be adjustably positioned toward and away from the peripheral surface portions of the rotary wheel opposing the frame bight portion.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said bight portion includes means defining a generally C-shaped channel opening toward the opposing peripheral portions of said like in configuration and define an arc extending at least 6 180 degrees about the axis of rotation of the abrasive 1,254,111 1/1918 Barry 51267 wheel. 2,589,620 3/1952 Leifel 51-2621 References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 551,033 1/1955 Canada. 443,572 12/1890 Goeldner 51-267 537,411 4/1895 Fischer et a1 51267 X ANDREW JUHASZ, y Emmmer- 1,200,624 10/1916 Kraus 51267 X G. WIEDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

